HILARITY AT THE HOPMAN CUP, NADAL WINS DOUBLES MATCH IN DOHA BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 5th January 2015

HILARITY AT THE HOPMAN CUP, NADAL WINS DOUBLES MATCH IN DOHA BY RICKY DIMON

epa04547031 Serena Williams of the United States returns a ball to Flavia Pennetta of Italy (not pictured) during the women's singles match in session 3 of the Hopman Cup between Serena Williams of the United States and Flavia Pennetta of Italy at the Arena in Perth, Australia, 05 January 2015. EPA/TONY MCDONOUGH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Move over, Gael Monfils and Coca-Cola! There’s a new dynamic duo in town.

Serena Williams of the United States reacts during the women’s singles match in session 3 of the Hopman Cup between Serena Williams of the United States and Flavia Pennetta of Italy at the Arena in Perth, Australia, 05 January 2015. EPA/TONY MCDONOUGH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

Serena Williams used the wonders of a “miracle coffee” to overcome Flavia Pennetta 0-6, 6-3, 6-0 at the Hopman Cup on Monday afternoon. As the score suggests, Williams got off to a stunningly slow start before recovering to put the United States ahead of Italy 1-0. Team USA went on to sweep the overall match 3-0.

But the story, of course, was the coffee. After accepting a bagel in the first set, the world No. 1 asked the umpire for an accompanying drink to go along with her meal. “Is it illegal to order an espresso,” Williams inquired. Apparently not, because it was delivered to her shortly thereafter.

“I was just feeling it, so I just had to get some coffee into me,” she explained. “I just asked them to get me a shot of espresso. I asked them if it was legal, because I’ve never done it before. I needed to wake up.”

Woke up she did, paving the way to a flawless first day in Perth for the Americans. John Isner followed suit, also bouncing back from a first-set loss to beat Fabio Fognini 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(4). Isner and Williams then paired up to defeat Fognini and Pennetta 6-2, 2-6, 11-9.

Flavia Pennetta (L) and Fabio Fognini of Italy celebrate a point during the mixed doubles match against Serena Williams and John Isner of the United States (not pictured) in session 3 of the Hopman Cup between the USA and Italy at the Arena in Perth, Australia, 05 January 2015. EPA/TONY MCDONOUGH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

John Isner (R) and Serena Williams of the United States during the mixed doubles match in session 3 of the Hopman Cup between the USA and Italy at the Arena in Perth, Australia, 05 January 2015. EPA/TONY MCDONOUGH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT

As for official tournament action, Rafael Nadal kicked off his 2015 campaign with a win–albeit in doubles. Nadal and good friend Juan Monaco got the best of Simone Bolelli and Leonardo Mayer 6-3, 6-3 in round one of Doha’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open.

Both Nadal and Novak Djokovic will take the singles court on Tuesday. The second-ranked Spaniard is facing Michael Berrer, while the world No. 1 is going up against fellow Serb Dusan Lajovic.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Doha, Fabio Fognini, Flavia Pennetta, Hopman Cup, John Isner, Novak Djokovic, Qatar ExxonMobil Open, Rafa, Ricky Dimon, Serena Williams, sports news, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

January 5, 2015 at 5:28 pm

HILARITY AT THE @hopmancup, @RafaelNadal WINS DOUBLES MATCH IN #DOHA BY @Dimonator- http://t.co/Hj05m1J8Oe #tennis #DohaATP @serenawilliams
Dimonator says:

January 5, 2015 at 5:32 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: HILARITY AT THE @hopmancup, @RafaelNadal WINS DOUBLES MATCH IN #DOHA BY @Dimonator- http://t.co/Hj05m1J8Oe #tennis #DohaA…